One more Ippudo at the Orchard Road belt. The ramen exclusive to the Shaw Centre branch is the Tan Tan Tonkotsu ($16), with Japanese sesame paste blended with their signature tonkotsu broth, topped with spicy minced pork miso, pork loin chashu and coriander.

The broth is spicy but not overly, with a touch of zest from the fresh lemon. (Read: Ippudo SG Shaw Centre)

The revamp of Waterfall Ristorante Italiano at Shangri-La Hotel is in line with the appointment of Chef De Cuisine Chef Marco De Vincentis who specialises in Southern Italian cuisine. Of all the dishes presented, the pasta items were also my personal favourite, especially the Tagliolini Al Pesto Siciliano ($22) – long flat ribbon pasta with ricotta cheese, pine nut, basil and roasted almond.

Unlike the previous 4 where the focus is fried chicken, Kko Kko Nara is a typical Korean restaurant with the usual Korean fare, which happens to be very known for their Korean Fried Chicken. For those who love variety, get the Combo Chicken Set ($20 during lunch, $25 during dinner) which has 9 pieces with 3 different favours – original, sweet and special garlic soy sauce chicken. (My order was lost in translation with their staff though, who looks keener to watch her Korean MTVs.) The original was good enough, sweet was sticky and like sweet and sour chicken with too much sauce, and the garlic chicken evenly marinated and tasty. Overall, the chicken meat was strangely colder than it should be. Maybe it’s the aircon.

NeNe Chicken used to be my favourite, until its quality took a dip. Sometimes I like it, sometimes it is so-so and cold. It is like taking a ne-ne gamble. My recommendation is the Swicy chicken, which comes in a set of 2 pieces ($8.90) or 9 piece whole chicken ($25.90). The chicken is surprisingly not oily, even though we are provided with plastic gloves. Just lick the sauce off your fingers if you are at home. Even though we left it the chicken out for some time, the batter remains crisp, and the meat succulent. (Read: NeNe Chicken (The Star Vista))

Bonchon Chicken is deep fried twice – so the skin becomes crunchier and the meat less greasy when compared to the usual American fast food fried chicken. It feels kind of pricy though. A medium combo of 6 wings, 2 drumsticks with one side is $15.90, and I am only saying it because the pieces are quite small. The skin comes off in pieces, with the sauces nicely enveloping it. The meat not quite like the usual, is tasty and not too oily. Plus point, it doesn’t leave much of a stain on your fingers even if you use your hands. Despite its haphazard service, I am prepared to love this. (Read: Bonchon Chicken (Bugis+))

Beijing is famous for its sliced Peking Duck, and it is about time that Singapore promotes more of the flavourful Herbal Roast Duck, found at Dian Xiao Er. Actually, I do not know of anywhere here which makes these herbals ducks better than them.

I am a more of a chicken than a duck person. But when I have duck cravings, I know l can make my way to Marina Square which is one of its original branch. Or NEX which has a fascinating ang-pao red colour and décor, red ribbon lanterns and a red OTT wedding wall. No kidding –it’s quite interesting and you feel transported back to the period drama times of China.

Dian Xiao Er’s signature dish is the Ten Wonder Herbs Roast Duck ($13.60 for small, $25.30 for medium), where the herbs is said to revitalize energy and relief mental stress. I am not sure if it is indeed the herbs or duck, but I do feel happier after savouring a slice of its meat – tender and somewhat sweetish juicy. You know how duck meat at lousier stalls can be dry and tough, this is the opposite.

I much preferred its less known Angelica Herb Roast Duck ($12.90 for small, $24.30 for medium), where the flavours are stronger and less herbal. If you never never never ever had Dian Xiao Er’s duck before, you never know what you are missing out.

Imagine your usual favourite roast duck but with more juice that is sealed within the duck, said to be marinated overnight to allow the sauces to fully permeate within.

I have never been to Manhattan or the New York to judge their pizzas, but I do know that this Manhattan Pizza Co in Singapore serves HUGE ones. Huge to the extent that the pizza filled the entire square table, huge that each slice is bigger than my hand, huge that 5 of my hungry friends could not finish the whole thing.

20 inches long to be exact.

“Chief” Joey Manoli brought their signature pizza from New York City to Singapore’s Orchard Central. The Napoli style pizza was created by Joey’s ‘Poppi’ (his papa) when their entire uprooted themselves to NYC, and made a good living out of it.

The restaurant is at a difficult-to-find basement location at Orchard Central, already known for its crazy navigation. Fortunately, Manhattan is located right next to Gong Cha which probably brought some customers in.

Initially, I was a little doubting. Red and yellow décor, matched with plastic chairs, and rather loud music screams ‘fast-food restaurant’ – not the kind of place I would enjoy having long chats with good friends over pizza slices and sides.

But, the pizzas are pretty affordable. The classic variety such as Hawaiian and Pepperoni are $38-$39, while the specialty range such as seafood and meat lover are $40-$42. A classic slice with a drink is $5.90.

Joey said that a Singaporean Tan Yi Ling was ‘schmoozing’ over their pizzas at NYC, which motivated him to come over Singapore for a look. (Interesting, I checked HungryGoWhere and there is a Tan Yi Ling giving positive reviews on Manhattan. I wonder if Joey knows.)

[Tokyo, Japan] The favourite past-time of Japanese ladies seem to be sitting down at a cafe, savouring a pretty tiny piece of cake after a tough day of shopping. One of the cakes places to be caught in is definitely Ladurée in Tokyo, which are available at Ginza Mitsukoshi and Shinjuku Lumine. Having pastries and tea here is ‘tai tai’ life at its best.

Think about it: Luxurious European furniture, macarons of every colours, cakes that are just too pretty to eat, packaging boxes that comes in pink, violet and beidge, with the touch of ribbons and their signature pastel green paper box. This is the place to be seen. And perhaps having silent conversations of handbags and flowers.

Yes. I also felt awkward to be the only guy in the entire store.

For fans in Singapore, if you still have not heard, Ladurée is coming to town. What’s the fuss you may wonder? They ARE the inventor of the double-decker macarons (one ‘O’ please), known to be one of the best macaron makers, and still sell more than 15,000 of them every day.

From Singapore’s hearty love for macarons sold anywhere from Antoinette, Au Chocolat, Obolo, TWG, Canelé, Jean-Philippe Darcis, and Jewels Artisan, you know we have a slight obsession with the dainty brightly coloured sweet things.

The Parisian luxury patisserie chain is reported to be located in town, close to its sister company PAUL Bakery at Orchard. Let me make a guess, Paragon? (Read: PAUL Bakery)